In the field of animal behavior control and modification, it is well known that electrical stimulus is useful in deterring or modifying certain behaviors. Several devices have been produced to perform such functions. Typical of the art are those devices disclosed in the following U.S. Patents:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Inventor(s) Issue Date ______________________________________ 3,687,112 G. A. Henderson Aug. 29, 1972 4,167,036 F. M. Kenney Sept. 4, 1979 5,161,485 R. McDade Nov. 10, 1992 5,207,178 R. McDade, et al. May 4, 1993 5,494,002 T. R. Greene Feb. 27, 1996 5,601,054 H. Y. So Feb. 11, 1997 5,666,908 H. Y. So Sept. 16, 1997 5,722,352 N. E. Leatherman Mar. 3, 1998 ______________________________________
Of these, most are disclosed as being useful in training animals, and specifically dogs. Each uses a DC battery in order to supply voltage to the particular training device, usually to a collar worn by the dog. Activation of the devices is accomplished in several methods. Greene ('s002) discloses the use of tension in the leash applied by the dog being used to depress an activation switch to close an electric circuit, again supplied using DC power, to subsequently apply shock to the dog. Leatherman ('s352) and Henderson ('s112) both disclose DC powered devices for applying electric shock to the throat of a horse to prevent cribbing and/or wind sucking.
Although many devices are in existence for providing electric shock therapy to an animal for behavior modification purposes, there are no such devices in the prior art which use the force exerted by the animal to generate the electrical energy used to shock the animal.
Piezoelectric devices are known in the art for several purposes. Typical of the art incorporating piezoelectric devices are those devices disclosed in the following U.S. Patents:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Inventor(s) Issue Date ______________________________________ 3,936,678 W. Mohr Feb. 3, 1976 3,963,411 J. Challet June 15, 1976 3,963,966 W. Mohr June 15, 1976 3,984,738 W. Mohr Oct. 5, 1976 4,097,025 C. R. Dettmann, et al. June 27, 1978 4,934,925 D. A. Berlincourt June 19, 1990 5,668,439 C. R. Snelling, et al. Sept. 16, 1997 ______________________________________
Of these devices, the 's439 device disclosed by Snelling, et al., is a high voltage power supply fabricated in a web having a piezoelectric exterior layer. A voltage is generated on the surface in response to being deformed around an arrangement of rollers. An arrangement of commutation and neutralization brushes controls the level of the voltage and transfers the voltage generated by the device. Due to the complexity of such arrangements, both in the fabrication of the web and in the roller and brush assembly, such a device is not designed for portability. Nor does such a device anticipate the use of piezoelectricity for the behavioral training of pets.
Dettmann, et al. ('s025) disclose the use of piezoelectricity for surveillance purposes in association with a perimeter fence. The 's025 device uses vibrations in the fence to generate an electrical response from a piezoelectric element. The 's025 device does not teach the use of a piezoelectric device for generating an electric shock, but in a more complex application, uses such a device for delivering an electrical signal through an electronic network to a monitoring site. Accordingly, Dettmann, et al., do not teach the use of a piezoelectric device for modifying or deterring particular animal behaviors.
The remainder of the afore-mentioned prior art devices disclose various means for igniting a fire using a piezoelectric ignitor. Specifically, the devices disclose the use of a piezoelectric device to create a spark in order to ignite a gas-fueled fire. These devices do not teach the use of such devices to produce an electric charge. Further, these devices do not anticipate the use of piezoelectric devices in the realm of animal behavior modification and deterrence.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a means for modifying and/or deterring particular animal behaviors, including but not limited to mammals and marine animals, through the use of a piezoelectric device.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a device whereby an electric charge is delivered to the animal upon the occurrence of undesirable behavior, the electric charge being generated by a force applied to the device, and independent of any other electrical source.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a device which may be incorporated into a leash such that tension on the leash actuates the device to deliver the electric charge to the animal.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide such a device which is disposed in a collar worn by an animal and to which may be attached a conventional leash.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a device which may be operated by a trainer in order to selectively deliver an electric shock to the animal.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide such a device which may be incorporated in a horse collar to prevent harmful behaviors such as cribbing and wind sucking.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a device which may be incorporated in a length of a perimeter fence to provide a means whereby electric shock may be administered to an animal attempting to cross the fence, while also rendering the fence safe for birds which may land thereon.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a device for delivering a series of electrical shocks to an animal in order to train the behavior of the animal.